Real-life social support linked to better overall mental health Social media may make it easier for people to engage online, but it does not provide certain benefits of real-life human interactions, says a Michigan State University researcher. Problematic social media use has been associated with depression, anxiety and social isolation, and having a good social support system helps insulate people from negative mental health. We wanted to compare the differences between real-life support and support provided over social media to see if the support provided over social media could have beneficial effects." Dar Meshi, Assistant Professor, Department of Advertising and Public Relations, Michigan State University